Edu/Eku Data Base Question

Other than the Berkun-Siskin EDU data base maintained by Richard Frajola and the current Scott Specialized, are there any other data bases or collected data of the earliest dated use/earliest know use for U.S. stamps (particularly Washington-Franklins) that are maintained and accessible?

I've been wondering the same thing myself, and I will be interested to hear, as well. I'm not aware of anything else outside of what you mention.

My sense is that "Scott", at least for the early US area that I collect, is pretty up to date. The rate of new EKU discovery for early US seems to have gone down quite a bit over the last 10+ years.

I suspect the W/F arena is a bit more active with new discoveries these days?

I read somewhere, and I don't remember where, that Ken Lawrence may have had a data base that he sold, at least that's what I recall. That may or may not be correct. Scott and Berkun-Siskin are not in sinc. Frajola will maintain Burkin-Siskin if he is sent up-dated dates. He requires a photo/scan of the cover and certification. I buy a Specialized about every 3-4 years. I compare it with Berkun-Siskin and make corrections from Scott onto a printed copy of Berkun-Siskin and yes, there are changes with new EDUs in the W/Fs. I have three to send in but thought I'd see if there are any other data collection that may have different information.

Newsy wise I think the U.S. Stamp Society, through their monthly journal "The United States Specialist," is most often where specialists first publicly report their EDUs.
I don't think the W-F have a particular claim to "producing" more new EDUs, other than usual sheer numbers impact of having more varieties, and perhaps coincidentally more enthusiastic collectors. In my mind over past decade or so, I can recall "just as many" (just an impression) of new EDU reports for the prior series "Series of 1902" (Second Bureau series) and the following series "Fourth Bureau Series" (1922- ).
Invariably, depending on extent of documentation related in the Specialist (which often includes certificate), the new date gets into the Scott specialized catalog.

3 more, Al? Imperf coils or other?
Congrats btw-- long time no see!
Ray

Yea, you'd think we'd live on opposite continents. #s 378, 409H, 484 are the three. Haven't been able to make any shows in a while. Huntsville is in June, maybe we can get together for that?

*Bump*

I have what I believe is a Scott 469 (7c P.10) earliest use on cover, but haven't sent it in for expertising yet. As noted in my 2021 Scott US specialized (I don't have a more current copy), it was released October 10, 1916, and the current EDU listed is February 19, 1917. My cover is a registered cover, dated November 24, 1916 (fairly early compared to the listed EDU, but I think a possibility because is was sent from New York city, and is about 1.5 months after the issue release). I understand that there was an earlier P.10 7c with SL watermark, so it could still be Scott 430, but I can't detect a watermark on cover.

Is there a more recent date update that is documented? Is there an updated Berkun-Siskin list available somewhere?

OK, so I found the link to Richard Frajola's list from another Stamp Community post:

[url:"https://www.rfrajola.com/mercury/SiskinBerkun.pdf"][/url]

It has been updated 8/13/2025 as annotated at the top of the list. It has the current on cover date the same (2/19/1917), but also shows an earlier off-cover example (1/26/1917). It also shows the BEPR date of 11/10/1916 (later than the Scott listed 10/10/1916).

Thanks,

Dave

Dave, the 2024 Scott lists the 2/19/17 as the EDU for #469. Scott doesn't show the off-cover date (you can verify the cert. in Apex data base-its there). Unfortunately, Scott doesn't coordinate with Frajola on this issue. Frajola up-dates Berkun-Siskin only when a collector sends him information regarding new dates. He requires a photo copy of the cover and certification to do so. If you wish to get your cover certified, the Philatelic Foundation is where I'd send it. If you leave the stamp on the cover, you can give the PF authorization to lift the stamp to verify watermarking, or you can contact them and discuss receiving permission the lift it first, and finding no watermark, sending it in for a cert. I sent a #378 in with instruction to lift that was cert'ed. as a #338 without the stamp being lifted. I lifted the stamp and saw portion of a watermark. I re-sent the cover/stamp in with an explanation regarding my disagreement with the original cert., and received a new corrected cert. Just mentioning that in case you do send it without lifting it.

I would be interest is a member here with a Scott 2025 Specialized posting the EDUs for the following : #374, #463, #482, and #535. I have candidates for new EDUs for those that I need to sent to the PF.

Edited to add 2nd paragraph

The one starting with "I would be interested..." Was paragraph a poor choice of wording??

Yes on older material. In fact since that quoted post was posted I have authored one such article and am preparing an article right now to submit shortly.

When I found Pre-FD items, I would alert Linn's as they were tracking such early sales and cover dated.

Mr. Gator,

Thank you for the information. When I submit the cover, I likely will use the PF.

Your update of "Edited to add 2nd paragraph" had me chuckle, because it was also the 3rd paragraph addition to the post!

re: " ** BUMP ** "
can't wait to learn this part of the secret language of a select few.
(I.e., i've never seen this in posts before.)

Ask and it will be clarified, but now you are to vague.